AFL Rules in Sydney Football Crowds

[latrell]

I went to the SCG for the first time yesterday and it was absolutely buzzing around the ground. Was great to see. What was funny was there were more Hawk supporters than rugby fans.

I was suprised to see so many young kids kicking the ball on the ground after the game, the future of AFL in sydney is looking promising.

 

[tonk]

What??
What are you even on about? That has nothing to do with the attendances at games in Sydney, and is blatantly incorrect.. Albury is 50/50 between both codes, Wagga is 70 League, 30 Australian Football.. I haven't been to Orange for so long I can't comment..

But stop posting garbage.

he is joking mate...................are you?

 

[Happy Daze]

What??
What are you even on about? That has nothing to do with the attendances at games in Sydney, and is blatantly incorrect.. Albury is 50/50 between both codes, Wagga is 70 League, 30 Australian Football.. I haven't been to Orange for so long I can't comment..

But stop posting garbage.

Rofl - Wagga Wagga 70% league? Are you having a lend? It's the other way around - 70% Aussie Rules, 30 league, and league is dying away at a rapid rate - there have been a slew of league clubs fold here in recent years. Orange is far more league than Aussie Rules, but Union is very strong out there and probably splits it among the rugby codes. Calling Albury 50 50 is laughable. Have you ever been to these places? Or do you just regularly post tripe for the sake of it?

 

[vjknight]

Actually, Sydney RL fans would've been extremely dissapointed that the Roosters actually got to 10,000.


Nobody will be dissapointed if they dissapear.


Evening Beaussie. How are you? You'd be impressed at my efforts on LU at the moment.

pls post the link to a crowds discussion on LU.

their tv rights thread was hilarious, the arguments absurd. i feel like a laugh.

 

[British Bulldog]

My theory behind why the crowds suck at the NRL is based upon talent drain and mergers.

1. Talent Drain = The good talent ends up either in Super Rugby, French Top 14 or the English Super League (where the crowds are worse, the quality is worse but the pay is much better). The NRL can not seem to keep lots of its top talent from milking the English gravy train. This will need to be corrected for them to compete with the AFL.

2. Mergers = They forcibly merged lots of clubs and excluded others (Souths and Norths anyone) which put lots of fans of the game in favour of corporate entities in Melbourne. the AFL has never done this in Sydney (obviously) and it is benefiting. The fact that mergers happen so rarely in AFL I believe is what helped us to retain fans through the 90's compared to the NRL.

AFL in Sydney does look bright with GWS. If GWS can exploit this and the A-League debacle then they should get good crowds as well.

P.S. Plus we have the better game. Thats a big factor

 

[Happy Daze]

My theory behind why the crowds suck at the NRL is based upon talent drain and mergers.

1. Talent Drain = The good talent ends up either in Super Rugby, French Top 14 or the English Super League (where the crowds are worse, the quality is worse but the pay is much better). The NRL can not seem to keep lots of its top talent from milking the English gravy train. This will need to be corrected for them to compete with the AFL.

2. Mergers = They forcibly merged lots of clubs and excluded others (Souths and Norths anyone) which put lots of fans of the game in favour of corporate entities in Melbourne. the AFL has never done this in Sydney (obviously) and it is benefiting. The fact that mergers happen so rarely in AFL I believe is what helped us to retain fans through the 90's compared to the NRL.

AFL in Sydney does look bright with GWS. If GWS can exploit this and the A-League debacle then they should get good crowds as well.

P.S. Plus we have the better game. Thats a big factor

Rugby league in what ever form it has been tagged (NRL, ARL or whatever) has never drawn big crowds to its club games, unlike for Aussie Rules - that's why its SOO games are so important to it. Those games are the centerpiece of the entire sport and draw big crowds. And in some ways that points to your last fact - it's very hard to get worked up over the NRL week in week out because its just a boring sport - the occasional fan can get worked up over 3 SOO games however, as they promise the best the sport has to offer, without having to commit to an entire season of watching live what is basically a pretty poor spectacle in its club form. Without the SOO rugby league would be in a very very serious hole - that's the one area where rugby league has done something better than Aussie Rules.

 

[laughingnome]

2. Mergers = They forcibly merged lots of clubs and excluded others (Souths and Norths anyone) which put lots of fans of the game in favour of corporate entities in Melbourne. the AFL has never done this in Sydney (obviously) and it is benefiting. The fact that mergers happen so rarely in AFL I believe is what helped us to retain fans through the 90's compared to the NRL.

There is no doubt the Swans and the AFL made huge gains during the Super League War and during the fallout afterwards. Rugby League was a joke and no one watched. Meanwhile, the Swans were a successful team with recognisable stars (Kelly, Lockett, O'Loughlin, Cresswell with others), and those that would otherwise have spent their money on league games came over and saw a few games. It is to the Sydney Swans Membership Department's credit that a lot of these new supporters stuck around - particularly familes with kids.

 

[Pie eyed]

Two weeks in a row I've had to listen to those ****ing things. It's enough to stop me going to the footy.

Are the slappers really anywhere near as annoying as the lone plastic horn, which mournfully graces every RL crowd since the invention of plastic?

 

[SydneyGoose]

2. Mergers = They forcibly merged lots of clubs and excluded others (Souths and Norths anyone) which put lots of fans of the game in favour of corporate entities in Melbourne. the AFL has never done this in Sydney (obviously) and it is benefiting. The fact that mergers happen so rarely in AFL I believe is what helped us to retain fans through the 90's compared to the NRL.

I cheered for Norths as a kid and when they got the boot I couldn't support anyone else and then the rules made less and less sense.

The more I see and here of league these days the more the whole thing disgusts me. We like to bag the Umps in the AFL, but it's a good thing that the coaches and players can't. One unfavourable 50-50 call and the coach blames the whole game on the referee, the fans call for blood, and the whole thing becomes a circus.

Love Vlad or hate him, but he runs a tight ship.

 

[Riders of Rohan]

Price and length are becoming big issues. It's more expensive to go to the two hour game than the three hour game at the moment. When factoring in travel which one becomes more cost friendly? gives more bang for your buck? etc...

 

[Sirius Black]

While it is true that the NRL draws smaller crowds, it is probably not valid to use a Roosters v Newcastle game as the yardstick. The Roosters have always had a relatively small fan base because their "traditional area" is upper class. So the majority of their fans are bandwagoners who only get on board when they are going well. This year they stink.

Many of the teams that have the fanbase to pull big crowds play home games at venues lucky to hold 20K or at the hated ANZ stadium - it is not just us Swan fans who reckon that place sucks.

Back in the 60's the RL regularly pulled 40-50K at the SCG "match of the week" when the big clubs like St George and Souths played top of the table games. They could still do that now, but have chosen not to. More fool them.

As for Swans crowds, we have a core of 20K who show up every week. Over that it depends on how many opposition fans turn up and if there is any pre match hype to attract the bandwagoners. The only way to increase the level is to build on that 20K core by converting bandwagon riders to core fans or by taking the long road of converting kids in their formative years. Unfortunately, (as has been mentioned earlier) we have recently played like crap whenever a big crowd turns up.

 

[finders]

You forgot to include regional people in your count. We all know that no-one in regional nsw follows football ... Albury, Wagga Wagga, Orange ... 100% of people follow league.

You forgot Broken Hill!No one there follows Aussie Rules LOL

 

[Roddy]

You gayfl fans just don't get it. League is the better product. League IS the better product. If I keep saying that over and over, will some of you believe me? I certainly believe myself. League is more of a TV sport. That's why it makes more money from TV rights. Or it would if the gayfl weren't paid overs over and over again! And were NSW regionals included in that crowd? It must have been raining over the League game and not the gayfl one. That gayfl crowd must have been fudged! I personally don't know ANYONE in Sydney who went to that game, or to any gayfl game for that matter. Me and all my mates HATE gayfl. Sydney will NEVER embrace gayfl, never never never.

 

[Monocle]

Beaussie.


What an outstanding and cheeky avatar.

 

[Pie eyed]

You gayfl fans just don't get it. League is the better product. League IS the better product. If I keep saying that over and over, will some of you believe me? I certainly believe myself. League is more of a TV sport. That's why it makes more money from TV rights. Or it would if the gayfl weren't paid overs over and over again! And were NSW regionals included in that crowd? It must have been raining over the League game and not the gayfl one. That gayfl crowd must have been fudged! I personally don't know ANYONE in Sydney who went to that game, or to any gayfl game for that matter. Me and all my mates HATE gayfl. Sydney will NEVER embrace gayfl, never never never.

No, I didn't. Honest... I ran out of gas. I... I had a flat tire. I didn't have enough money for cab fare. My tux didn't come back from the cleaners. An old friend came in from out of town. Someone stole my car. There was an earthquake. A terrible flood. Locusts! IT WASN'T MY FAULT, I SWEAR TO GOD!

 

[annoyed]

No, I didn't. Honest... I ran out of gas. I... I had a flat tire. I didn't have enough money for cab fare. My tux didn't come back from the cleaners. An old friend came in from out of town. Someone stole my car. There was an earthquake. A terrible flood. Locusts! IT WASN'T MY FAULT, I SWEAR TO GOD!

[YOUTUBE]tMpQgP-bv7I[/YOUTUBE]

 

[The_Wookie]

[youtube]tMpQgP-bv7I[/youtube]

lol awesome work.

Theres a couple of things though.

There are things we take for granted in the AFL world that you just cant get as an NRL supporter.

1) Public transport is simple and easy to get to games. Theres a friggin railway station at the doorstep of the MCG for crying out loud. In Adelaide there are free buses and a huge bus terminal at football park. I cant speak for perth, but having such ease of access makes it ludicrously easy to go to matches.

2) Covered stadia. Pop a retractable roof on the SFS and you'd see much larger crowds i suspect than the inclement weather in Sydney has allowed recently. Docklands is and should continue to be a massive boon to the AFL and its supporters.

3) Ticket pricing. AFL tickets are reasonably priced - especially for children to 12 years of age - and have been forever. NRL tickets can be somewhat costly.

4) Live games in Melbourne. Very few are shown live against the gate in Melbourne (or anywhere else for that matter), this will change next year of course.

5) Openly supportive State Governments. WA will build a new stadium soon, SA have more or less agreed to one. The QLD and NSW governments are building/have built/are upgrading stadiums for AFL primary use. Even Kardina Park is getting an upgrade. No out of date stadiums here.

6) No superleague split in the ranks that resulted in forced closures and mergers, driving fans away to the lower divisions, to other codes, or to abandon sport altogether.

 

[gaelictiogar]

You gayfl fans just don't get it. League is the better product. League IS the better product. If I keep saying that over and over, will some of you believe me? I certainly believe myself. League is more of a TV sport. That's why it makes more money from TV rights. Or it would if the gayfl weren't paid overs over and over again! And were NSW regionals included in that crowd? It must have been raining over the League game and not the gayfl one. That gayfl crowd must have been fudged! I personally don't know ANYONE in Sydney who went to that game, or to any gayfl game for that matter. Me and all my mates HATE gayfl. Sydney will NEVER embrace gayfl, never never never.

Dam right Roddy and you know we have no transport at all in Sydney and we have no history of membership and are too dirt poor to pay the $180 a ticket my friend told me it costs to see the NRL - I don't go myself so wouldn't know but he swears its true whereas the Mexes pay people to go and provide taxis and free prostitutes and beer whereas we have to pay for ours.

That said at least my beloved League is not a ****ters game....or so my mate tells me since he goes but I don't cos I have a TV and a girlfriend who likes to stay in and eat comfort food with me.

 

[seysearles]

What??
What are you even on about? That has nothing to do with the attendances at games in Sydney, and is blatantly incorrect.. Albury is 50/50 between both codes, Wagga is 70 League, 30 Australian Football.. I haven't been to Orange for so long I can't comment..

But stop posting garbage.

I dont know if you guys have been to Albury or where you're getting your info from but Albury is an AFL town. Ive never seen league played there in my life (and i was at school there for 3years).

 

[Redb#]

Ya know their hurting when everywhere they could the NRL urgers focused on the TV ratings for the Swans on FTA but forget the game was also on Foxtel in Sydney.

Of course the NRL is still the dominant game in Sydney, many people would just flick to the NRL on TV in Sydney out of habit.

Going to the game is real tangible support.

When the Swans decide to play a with a decent and more entertaining game more will follow.

 

[Swans120]

[youtube]tMpQgP-bv7I[/youtube]

Hahaha, well done. Fantastic.

Just on those ****ing clappers, I'm with you, footyhead07. I cannot stand that shit. It was a desperate plea to fairweather Swans fans to make noise during a game and it's just so cheap. It does my head in. You could win a 1000 bucks at half time by using them so there is an incentive but they are the most annoying pieces of shit to have hit the SCG since the Poms last came out for the Ashes.

 

[Beaussie]

Theres a couple of things though.

There are things we take for granted in the AFL world that you just cant get as an NRL supporter.

1) Public transport is simple and easy to get to games. Theres a friggin railway station at the doorstep of the MCG for crying out loud. In Adelaide there are free buses and a huge bus terminal at football park. I cant speak for perth, but having such ease of access makes it ludicrously easy to go to matches.

From the article:

The old excuse of poor public transport and expensive food and beer doesn't wash in this case. If it was good enough for the 33,000 next door, it should have been good enough for Sydney's league fraternity too.

Those who argue that the Swans get more bums on seats because Sydney is a one-team town doesn't wash either.

The Roosters-Knights clash was the only NRL game in Sydney over the weekend. If league fans wanted to watch live NRL, that was their one and only chance.

The poor crowds figures don't just apply to premiership games.

State of Origin Game II at ANZ Stadium - the only Origin match in Sydney this year - hasn't yet sold out. This is the one chance Sydneysiders have this year to watch the pinnacle of the sport live, in the flesh, in their home town, yet they are yet again choosing to stay away.

2) Covered stadia. Pop a retractable roof on the SFS and you'd see much larger crowds i suspect than the inclement weather in Sydney has allowed recently. Docklands is and should continue to be a massive boon to the AFL and its supporters.

It was a beautiful fine day in Sydney on Sunday.

3) Ticket pricing. AFL tickets are reasonably priced - especially for children to 12 years of age - and have been forever. NRL tickets can be somewhat costly.

There is not much of a difference in the price of tickets between the AFL and NRL in Sydney.

 

[Redb#]

lol awesome work.

Theres a couple of things though.

There are things we take for granted in the AFL world that you just cant get as an NRL supporter.

1) Public transport is simple and easy to get to games. Theres a friggin railway station at the doorstep of the MCG for crying out loud. In Adelaide there are free buses and a huge bus terminal at football park. I cant speak for perth, but having such ease of access makes it ludicrously easy to go to matches.

2) Covered stadia. Pop a retractable roof on the SFS and you'd see much larger crowds i suspect than the inclement weather in Sydney has allowed recently. Docklands is and should continue to be a massive boon to the AFL and its supporters.

3) Ticket pricing. AFL tickets are reasonably priced - especially for children to 12 years of age - and have been forever. NRL tickets can be somewhat costly.

4) Live games in Melbourne. Very few are shown live against the gate in Melbourne (or anywhere else for that matter), this will change next year of course.

5) Openly supportive State Governments. WA will build a new stadium soon, SA have more or less agreed to one. The QLD and NSW governments are building/have built/are upgrading stadiums for AFL primary use. Even Kardina Park is getting an upgrade. No out of date stadiums here.

6) No superleague split in the ranks that resulted in forced closures and mergers, driving fans away to the lower divisions, to other codes, or to abandon sport altogether.

Except that (note I havent watched the youtube), but:

1. Transport in Sydney in the same district is identical for SCG/SFS. Public transport is increasingly congested in Melbourne and the traffic around the CBD is becoming seriously congested impacting on Friday night crowds.

I know your from Adealide, but AAMI via Bus is a joke, its like Waverley Park, too far out, insufficient car parking. There are transport excuses in every city.

2. SCG and MCG both uncovered and in the case of the 'G' it can get very cold.

3. Similiar pricing for both codes, GA & Reserved, Super rugby is higher.

4. yes they sold their code to TV years ago, but long before TV, VFL/AFL drew big crowds its the nature of the game far more spectacular live.

5. Poor admin from the NRL, although the NSW Govt did pay them $50M to keep their GF in Sydney Money for nothing.

6. The AFL club competition is inherently stronger and community based compared to the NRL where their is private ownership by News Ltd and others. Far more rusted on fans in the AFL, roughly double if you look at crowd support.

 

[Beaussie]

Just on those ****ing clappers, I'm with you, footyhead07. I cannot stand that shit. It was a desperate plea to fairweather Swans fans to make noise during a game and it's just so cheap. It does my head in. You could win a 1000 bucks at half time by using them so there is an incentive but they are the most annoying pieces of shit to have hit the SCG since the Poms last came out for the Ashes.

I actually like the noise and atmosphere those clappers create around the ground. Adds to the atmoshphere in my opinion. Oh and yeah, like you say, you can win $1000 at half time.

 

[pantskyle]

Problem is 25000 of those attended still have no idea what AFL is. Sydney crowds are bloody terrible and mostly clueless.

My brother was at the game and he told me that Swans supporters were walking out at 3Qtr time. Bloody disgraceful.


And before anyone says your a Eagles supporter what would you know. I live in Sydney and was a Swans member for 4 years just so I could watch some live AFL.